Carton opening means



April 16, 1963 G. l.. MEYERS 3,085,736

CARTON OPENING MEANS ATTRNEY April 16, 1963 G. MEYERS 3,085,736

CARTON OPENING MEANS Filed Feb. 16, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 IWENTOR.GEORGE L. ME VERS ATTopA/EYS April 16, 1963 G. l.. MEYERS 3,085,736

CARTON OPENING MEANS Filed Feb. 16. 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INV EN TOR.

GEORGE L. MEVERS W Z ML A rroR/vgvs ttes This invention relates to altamperproof opening means `for cartons. More specifically, theinvention relates to an opening means employing a tear strip and whichis uitable for use on cartons having a reclosable cover or Whenemploying an opening means on a carton, several features are desir-able.The opening means should be essentially tamperproof so that any openingprior to that of the user is readily ascertainable. Further, the meansemployed should not materially weaken .the carton construction so as toimpair the overall strength of the unopened carton. Also, the meansshould be easy to open as well as readily accessible. Undesirableripping or tearing otherwise .than at the desired areas should beavoided. Finally, the construction of the means should be such as topresent a neat appearance of `the carton after it has been opened. Thisresult is particularly important from the sales standpoint in .the caseof a carton which is .to be opened and reclosed a number of times by theconsumer and not thrown away after the initial opening.

One of the principal objections to many of the opening means previouslyemployed on ice cream, butter and frozen food cartons is .that thecarton shape is distorted when opened, In the case of prior gluedopening means frequently tearing or peeling of the glued portion of thecarton panels occurs. Such tearing not only weakens the carton and inmany cases exposes the'contents in unintended areas, but also leaves .anunsightly looking package.

The general object of the present invention is to pro-- vide an openingmeans employing a tear strip which is cleanly detachable without atearing or peeling of the carton panels.

Another object of the invention `is to provide an opening means that isessentially tamperproof.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide an opening means whichis readily accessible and which ensures a complete detaching action.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an opening meanswhich does not substantially weaken the initial carton construction.

A further object of vthe invention is to provide an opening means whichwhen employed does not distort the shape of .the carton.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide an opening means whichwhen employed presents a neat appearance lof the carton after opening.

This invent-ion provides means for readily and cleanly detaching a.two-ply tear strip formed of one strip connected to one of the cartonpanels and having another portion adhered to another carton panel, thelatter panel being in subposed relationship to the lirst mentionedcarton panel. Because the tear strip is connected to said panel only .byperforated score lines, when the tear strip is detached it cannot tearor pecl the adjacent carton panels. The adhered portion to which thetear strip is connected is covered by .the free edge of theaforementioned carton panel, and hence when the tear strip is removedthe reclosed carton has a neat appearance.

Further details and advantages of the invention Iwill be apparent fromthe following specification and appended drawings wherein: l

FIGURE l is a plan View of an integral blank suitably cut and scored toform a tamperproof carton having a tear strip opening means,

FIGURE 2 is a fragmental view of the upper portion of the blank ofFIGURE l `folded and glued,

FIGURE 3 is a plan View of the blank of FIGURE 1 folded upon itself andhaving certain superposed portions adhered together `as a step in makinga carton from the blank,

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the folded blank of FIGURE 3 partiallyset up,

FIGURE 5 is a perspective View of the same partially set up blank atstill a further stage,

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of the completed carton in closed andsealed condition.

FIGURE 7 is a perspective View of the closed carton with the tear strippartially removed, and

FIGURE 8 is a perspective view showing the carton opened.

Referring to FIGURE l, the opening means are shown with a carton which-is made of a single foldable blank of flexible material, such aspaperboard, The blank is divided by score lines 10,-20 and perforatedlines Z7 into hingedly connected panels and aps, including front panel30, bottom panel 31, back panel 32, back cover panel l33, top coverpanel 34, front cover panel 35, side wall panels 39, bottom liaps 40,side wall panels 41, side cover panels 42., top cover flaps 43, andfront cover -aps 44.

The opening means constituting this invention are connected to the freeedge of front cover panel 35 along perforated line `22.

The opening means comprises tear strip panel portions 36 and 3-7 whichare hingedly connected together by score line 23 and glue ap 38connectedto tear strip portion 37 .along perforated line 25. Panelportions 36 and 37 .preferably have the same dimensions. lPartial cutline 24, shown in FIGURE 2, and partial out line 211, shown in FIGURE 3,facilitate detachment of the tear strip, as will be described more fullyhereinafter. Score lines 28 aid in removing the tear strip when openingthe sealed carton as will be described later herein.

In forming the carton from the blank as described adhesive is firstapplied to tear strip portion 3K7. l`h-isstrip is then folded aboutscore line 23 and is adhered t-o tear strip portion 36 in the positionshown in FIGURE 2. .These ltwo adhered panel portions, 36 and 37,together constitute what is hereinafter referred to as a two-ply tearstrip. If desired these panel portions are merely folded over but notadhered. Glue flap 38 and `front cover panel 35 to 4which the two-plytear stripis connected remain unadhered to each other.

Next, adhesive is applied to the outside surface of the glue flap 38which is shown in lFIGURE 2. Front panel 30 is then folded about scoreline 10 toy lie directly superposed on bottom panel 31 and back panel3-2'. Top cover panel 34 with the elements attached thereto lying in acommon plane are then folded about score line 13 so that adhesivebearing surface 38 overlies and is adhered to front panel 30. The twplytear strip is directly super'- posed on front panel 30 with nointervening panel ,to separate them. This stage of construction is shownin FIGURE 3.

The carton shell of FIGURE 3 is then squared as shown in FIGURE 4. Inthis position the carton panels are all at right angles. At this pointthe carton is side loaded prior to complete closure. Bottom flaps 40 andftop cover flaps 43 are folded inwardly to lie parallel with the sideedges of front and back panels 30- and 32, re-

3 spectively. Side wall panels 39 are then folded about score lines tooverlie in superposed relationship the previously infolded bottom flaps40 and top cover fiaps 43. FIGURE 5 shows this further stage with aportion of one of the bottom corners cut away.

Front cover iiaps 44 are infolded `along score lines Ztl to overlie sidewall panels 39 in superposed relationshipl Following this step adhesiveis applied on the exposed portions of both side wall panels 39 and frontcorner flaps 44. The carton is completed by infolding side wall panels41 and side cover panels 4Z to abut the adhesive bearing portions inadhered relationship. The closed and sealed carton is shown in FIGURE 6.It is apparent that any tampering with the canton is readilyascertainable since no portion can be opened without permanently showingthe point of entry.

Referring to FIGURE 8, the carton is unsealed by removing the two-plytear strip 36, 37. This is done by grasping the strip at either end andpulling `upward and away from one side to the other. Score lines 28facilitate the bending out of the end portion of the two-ply tear strip,which are attached only by score lines 28, enabling the user to graspthe ends more readily. The strip is detached easily along the perforatedlines 22 and 25. Partial cut lines 21 and 24 prevent a tearing orpeeling of the elements involved. Any tendency to tear or peel either upinto front cover panel 35 or down into tear strip portioh 37 is stoppedwhen the partial cut lines are reached. This eliminates a jagged or tornappearance on the edges of the glue iiap 33 and front cover' panel 35.lf the two ply tear strip should accidentallv break prior to itscomplete detachment, it can either be detached by starting at the otherend or grasping the remaining portion and continuing in the originaldirection. These features are missing in prior cartons that employ atear strip which is attached along both edges and which can be torn fromonly one end.

When the tear strip is completely detached, the carton has theappearance of a conventional iiip top or hinged cover box. Essentiallythe carton looks like the portions of FIGURE 7 which has the tear stripdetached. Glue liap 38 is covered by the lower edge of front cover panel35 and is visible only when the cover is opened. Since front cover panel35 is no longer attached, only the connection Ibetween side wall panels41 and side cover panels 42, namely perforated lines 27, preventsopening of the carton. Separation of panels 42 from panels 41 alongperforated lines 27 enables the cover of the carton which is hingedlyconnected along score line 12 to swing upward. The outside surface areaof the hinged `cover is comprised of back cover panel 33, top coverpanel 34, front cover panel 35 and vside cover panels 42. As shown inFIG- URE 6, only glue ap 3S remains of the original open ing meansemployed. This flap again becomes invisible when the carton cover isreclosed.

The opening means of the present invention is particularly iadaptable toreclosable, flip-top or hinged cover cartons -as demonstrated in thedescribed embodiment. Although shown only on one side of the carton, theopening means may extend around on as many sides as desired. Thus thewhole cover portion of a carton may be released to come away free fromthe rest of the carton by ern- -ploying the tear strip around the entireperimeter of the carton. It is not necessary that a reclosable, nip-topcarton be employed since the opening rneans is useful with a variety ofcarton constructions. The size and shape of the cartons utilizing theopening means of the present invention may be varied as desired sincethe opening means rather than the specific size and shape of the cartonsthemselves without said means comprise the invention.

The present invention provides Aan opening means which does notmaterially weaken the initial carton construction, is essentiallytamper-proof, readily accessible, and easy to detach. Either of the endsor a portion in the center may be grasped to continue detachment if thetear strip breaks at any point between ythe ends. The carton with thetear strip removed has a neat appearance without disiiguration due topeeling and tearing initiated by the opening means. The size and shapeof the elements employed in the opening means may be varied in numerousways by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit ofthe invention.

I claim:

l. An opening means for a tubular carton, the carton including areceptacle portion having a front panel and a cover portion having afront cover panel overlying said front panel; said means comprising afirst tear panel connected to said front cover panel along a first lineof weakening, a second tear panel hingedly connected to said first tearpanel and a glue panel connected along a second line of weakening tosaid second tear panel, said second tear panel and said glue panel`being folded under said first tear panel and said front cover panelrespectively with said glue panel yadhered to said front panel and saidfirst and second lines of weakening being substantially coincident insuperposed relation.

2. The means of claim l wherein the tear strip is detachably connectedby said lines of weakening.

3. The means of claim l wherein said front cover panel has a partial cutline on the outer side adjacent said line of weakening connecting saidfront cover panel and said first tear panel, and said second tear panelhas a partial cut line on the side facing said front panel adjacent saidline of weakening connecting said second tear panel 'and said gluepanel.

4. A tamperproof, reclosable carton formed of a single blank suitablycut and scored to provide a receptacle portion having an opening at thetop thereof and a hinged box-like cover portion telescoped over the opentop of the receptacle portion; said receptacle portion comprising afront panel, a bottom panel, a rear panel and side panel, said coverportion comprising a rear panel hingedly connected to the upper edge ofsaid rear receptacle panel, a top cover panel, a front cover panel andside cover panels, a first tear panel connected to the edge of said-front cover panel along a line of weakening, a second tear panel havingthe same shape as said first tear panel and hingedly connected to saidfirst tear panel and a glue panel connected along `a line of weakeningto said second tear panel, said second tear panel being foldedunderneath and adhered to said first tear panel and said glue panelbeing folded underneath said front cover panel with the surface adjacentthereto unadhered and having the opposite surface adhered to theoverlapped portion of the front receptacle panel adjacent said frontcover panel and said first and second lines of weakening beingsubstantially coincident in superposed relation.

5. The carton of claim 4 wherein said front cover panel has la partialcut line on the outer side adjacent said line of weakening connectingsaid front cover panel and said first tear panel, and said second tearpanel has a partial cut line on the side facing said front receptaclepanel adjacent said line of weakening connecting said second tear paneland said glue panel.

6. An opening means for a tubular carton, the carton including front,side, back and bottom panels, and a cover portion including a frontcover panel; said means comprising a tear strip folded back and adheredupon itself `along a score line equidistant from its longitudinal edgesand being 'detachably connected by lines of weakening along onelongitudinal edge to said cover portion and along the other longitudinaledge to a flap that is adhered to a front panel adjacent said coverportion, said tear strip being in direct superposed Irelationship withsaid adjacent `front panel, said front cover panel having a partial cutline on the outer side adjacent said line of weakening connecting saidfront cover panel to said tear strip and said tear strip having apartial cut line on the side facing said front cover panel adjacent saidline of 5 weakening connecting said tear strip Tand said flap, said2,246,484 lines .of weakening being substantially coincident in super-2,789,746 posed relation. 2,936,104

References Cited in the le of this patent 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS gg2,218,509 Goodyear Oct. 22, 1940 6 Freers June 17, 1941 Hovland Apr. 23,1957 De Blaere May 10, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS Germany June 24, 1940Finland Dec. 31, 1953

4. A TAMPERPROOF, RECLOSABLE CARTON FORMED OF A SINGLE BLANK SUITABLYCUT AND SCORED TO PROVIDE A RECEPTACLE PORTION HAVING AN OPENING AT THETOP THEREOF AND A HINGED BOX-LIKE COVER PORTION TELESCOPED OVER THE OPENTOP OF THE RECEPTACLE PORTION; SAID RECEPTACLE PORTION COMPRISING AFRONT PANEL, A BOTTOM PANEL, A REAR PANEL AND SIDE PANEL, SAID COVERPORTION COMPRISING A REAR PANEL HINGEDLY CONNECTED TO THE UPPER EDGE OFSAID REAR RECEPTACLE PANEL, A TOP COVER PANEL, A FRONT COVER PANEL ANDSIDE COVER PANELS, A FIRST TEAR PANEL CONNECTED TO THE EDGE OF SAIDFRONT COVER PANEL ALONG A LINE OF WEAKENING, A SECOND TEAR PANEL HAVINGTHE SAME SHAPE AS SAID FIRST TEAR PANEL AND HINGEDLY CONNECTED TO SAIDFIRST TEAR PANEL AND A GLUE PANEL